City briefs: Avacta and Team17
Biotech business Avacta Group says shipment of its AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test has now begun.
Its 20-minute antigen test uses patient-friendly nasal swabbing that is CE marked for professional use in the UK and EU.
The test has also been shown to detect all the major variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – which causes COVID-19 – including the delta variant.
The Wetherby-based company has recently appointed Calibre Scientific, a global distributor of diagnostic and life science products, as the first distributor for the test in the UK and European Union.
It adds it is progressing multiple commercial opportunities with distributors and end users in Europe, UK, Asia and elsewhere.
However, Avacta’s share price has fallen significantly in the last four and a half months, from a high of 275p on 16 March to 130p at the close of trading yesterday.
Dr Alastair Smith, chief executive officer, said: “I am delighted that shipment of the AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test has commenced.
“The excellent clinical performance and ease of nasal sampling, coupled with the fact that the AffiDX® antigen test has been developed in the UK, and is based on UK technology and manufactured in the UK, are major points of differentiation.
“Manufacturing scale up continues to progress well and we remain focused on the challenge of being able to supply the clear demand in the market.
“We continue to see significant levels of commercial interest from around the world and are progressing a number of opportunities in a range of sectors. I look forward to updating the market on further developments.”
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Video games developer Team17 says it has traded in line with Board’s expectations across the first six months of the current financial year.
The company, which has bases in Wakefield, Nottingham and Manchester, will report its half year results for the six months ended 30 June 2021 on 14 September 2021.
Debbie Bestwick, CEO, said: “We continue to execute our highly ambitious pipeline, alongside completing the acquisitions of the Golf with Your Friends IP at the start of the year and the StoryToys business in July.
“We enter H2 2021 in great shape and continue to build on the growing success of our Games Label and look forward to supporting StoryToys on their continued growth trajectory.”
